The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1887-07-31
THE TALKER AND THE DOER.


takers. next TO the fighters, were held
in highest honor. The time seems TO
have come for a temporary reduction
of the honors paid TO the talker. The
tendency of public life is toward the
suppression of those who talk and the
advancement of those who can accom-
plish their ends. without making
much noise about it. Now there are
two sides to the question as to the
value of talk. Against it, one may
urge the evident objection that many
can talk about great things, but lew
can do them, and that one great deed
is worth hundred orations about It.
It is the great battle that decides the
fate of a nation, not the oratlons OF
its statesmen. In science, the patlent,
ouiet observer discovers the hidden
fact which makes all the other facts
better worth the knowing. When he
begins to talk about it, he ceases to
be an observer. The orators discuss
measures in the legislature which a
few noiseless men in the committee
room or the lobby quietly dispose OF.
So decided is the disfayor into
which the talker has fallen In many
quarters that measures are dellber-
ately taken to reduce the opportuni-
ties of the talker to speak upon the
questions under consideration. Many
things once determined in open meet
ing are now remanded to the commit
tee. The great advantages once en-
ioyed by the man who had the ear. OF
the public are now being taken from
him by those who wish to equalize the
privileges of those who can and those
who cannot speak with effect. As re-
suit, all kinds of popular oratory are
now somewhat out of the fashion.
Speech is, after all, the organ OF
civilization. In part superseded by
the press, in part made unnecessary
as the medium of communication, the
voice of man is the basis of all that
makes the difference between man and
brute. The hand and the thumb
make the doer, and give man his vast
power of execution. But man could
not have gone far on his way without
the art of speech. And now, in spite
of all the advances of civilization,
take speech away or make man a
silent animal, leaving to him reading
and writing; and he will make less
than desirable progress.
It is possible to do business too
silently and expeditiously. Publicity
is q great safeguard. When the lobby
burrows too fast and too far in the
interest of corporation or party, il
is a public misfortune If there be nc
opportunity for instant and indignant
speech. Much discussion sometimes
hinders action. But there is less
danger to be apprehended from the
blatant demagogue than from the
silent wire -puller, who, with bribes in
his hands, works in secrecy and dark
ness, and carries his ends simply be
cause there is no talk.
Although man has been talking
many thousands of years, he has moi
yet written out a language which is
adequate to his wants. There is NO
man living who can accurately convey
TO another through speech a correct
report of that which he clearly feels
and thinks and knows. And yet all
progress In the art of thinking and
living depends upon the conveyance
OF clear ideas from man to man. In
all controversies, this is the most con.
spicuo1s feature. Charges of stupi
dity, misrepresentation, or worse, in
stantly follow the first statement and
reioinder. When by chance two people
do understand each other, it is only
because they have had experiences
which are identical; and the signs o
speech bring up memories of The
same things,
What the world of thought nov
needs, more than anything else, is |
language so rich and flexible that il
it anything which man can thinl
can be SO described to anothe
that he can2understand it; with
coordinate training of the minds
of both speakers and listeners, so that
word spoken may always to both meal
the same thing. The world ha
some great things to say and hea
within the next few years. There ar
some great things now trying to ge
themselves expressed. Behind al
the work of the world are clea
thoughts which have been clearly ex
pressed: Many thoughts wait fo
clear expression, that they may turl
themselves into deeds. Man,
things are not yet thoughts
which viii be whenever the world